La Cartuja Priorat 2013: Juicy and energetic on the palate, showing a silky texture and juicy blackberry and cassis flavors with a hint of smoke. Region: Priorat, Catalunya, Spain. Price: $16. Goes with: Smoked baby back ribs. Why I chose it: Priorat is one of the most prestigious regions in all of Spain. This small-production wine is a great introduction to the unique wines of the region, and at an amazing price!

For 12 weeks, we feature a wine, and include tasting notes and suggestions for pairings. At the end of the 12 weeks, we’ll review our Mixed Case, and recap the choices. Each mixed case will be chosen by a local wine shop owner, who will also become our wine expert-in-residence during his or her tenure. (So should we need recommendations for a holiday, for example. we’ll ask.) We’ll get a new expert for each case. Right now, we’re working on our Mixed Case chosen by Jen Lucia of Vine & Co. in Bedford Hills.

About Author

Megan McCaffrey is a food writer for The Journal News and contributor to the Small Bites Blog. She has a degree in Digital Media from Fordham University and a fondness for good craft beer. She loves to bake, read cooking blogs and taste all the Lower Hudson Valley has to offer. Megan lives in Ridgefield, Connecticut with her husband and three kids.